Hey Gina! I saw the -60's this AM too! Just barely: 169.4! One bit of extra car s or salt today and I probably won't see it again tomorrow, so that's motivating ! Isn't it exciting to move down a 10# notch? I was in the 190s when I started. I always weigh 2# more ar the Center, so I don't know if I will make that 20# board this Friday or not. It would be great.

BigDog, I am SO like you- I will eat great but drink instead. Talk about beating myself up... I actually declined a party this weekend because it will be a rowdy one and I just don't want to be around it. It's an Ugly Sweater party, if you can imagine! Probably will be lots of laughs but I need to hibernate after last week and in advance of the next one. At least I'm learning not to try to do everything.

Usually I don't get on the scales once during the holidays. I kind of wonder how much I typically gain. I have always eaten all the goodies that came in. And drank all the high-cal cocktails. Even if I don't make the 5 pounds by Christmas, I know I'm better off for being on program most of the time.

Well, I was up 2lbs today at my WI. In all of the 6 months OP I have never gained weight This has been hard...but I have only myself to blame. I see through looking at my food journal all of the mistakes I have made, and I feel like a child because it is almost like I pushed a little this past week just to see what I could get away with....not a good idea. To top it all off, I am headed to Vegas this weekend with my daughter and husband, and sure don't feel like I have much room where dining is concerned. This will be a challenge.

I agree that while we may not be perfect this time of year, we are certainly better off trying to stay OP most of the time rather than like in years past when I really didn't pay attention.

Well ladies...don't take your weightloss nor your efforts for granted...today taught me that forever I will have to pay attention and be careful. The weight can and will come right back on otherwise

My plan is to get over this bump in the road and press on......while trying not to beat myself up too much in the meantime

Rocki, the jeans are "Hannah" i got them at Burke's Outlet...didn't realize they had the tummy control but was looking for black jeans - very cheap! it's hit or miss - this outlet shopping but my girlfriends and i have fun finding fun clothes there. i also got a pair of these zebra fur pajamas! i think i'll wear them at the beach campground over Christmas when i'm walking the dogs. HA HA! i want to thank you again for telling me about the Chocolate Truffle protein powder...yum!

Camaswa - you saw the 160's!!! i would be doing a total happy dance!!!! that's very motivating!!
looking back...i was totally out of control for about a year before i joined MRC - what was i thinking? butter popcorn every night, chocolate, all the stuff i would never think about eating all the time! wasn't worried about gaining weight, then my sister posted all those "fat" photos of me and i was like, Holy Cow! who is that? so glad i'm back in control - it feels great. the more healthy substitutes i find to forever replace the bad choices, the better off i'll be. this is a lifestyle change not a diet to me. i'll continue to go out but just not as much and if i do, i'm going to have to stick to drink, water, water, drink! i know what to do, just need to do it!

Tamiki - i see a gain if i eat extra carbs or go off plan, like in a day! i'm thinking when i get to maintenance, i'm just going to have to increase my exercise to allow those extra events or food that i may want to add to my plan. i see a stall or slight gain if i don't get all my water in that day..

it does suck that it's so easy to gain and harder to lose! but at least w/ this plan, i'm finally losing.

Way to go Darcy and Big Hog on the weight loss!!

Thanks Patzi and everyone else for sharing even more tips on how to stay on plan :-)

i log everything i eat online (and track exercise) and trying to figure out what to set MY Fitness Pro totals at. right now i have it set at 1,055 Cal, 165 g. protein and 55 g. carb, 24 g. fat... not sure if that's correct.

i've heard the MRC plan is 60 % protein, 20 % fat and 20 % carbs....

i must be tired! i can't figure this out.... help?!

Tamiki- that must have been tough to see a 2# gain. I feel for you. Try to see it as simply information. Now you know what you can't do. In the scheme of things, this is just a little blip. Las Vegas has great restaurants! Think seafood, salad, veggies. Have fun

Tamikl posted...
.Well ladies...don't take your weightloss nor your efforts for granted...today taught me that forever I will have to pay attention and be careful. The weight can and will come right back on otherwise .

Tami, you have it figured out.. If you mess around with your weight challenge then you will never get stabization right, and maintenance will be a failure.. I saw two of my friends start MRC same time I did,go off program whenever it suited them,made excuses why it was ok,as it MRC was desgined just for them, and when they got to maintenance could not make it.. Soooo, you know what you have to do ,so go on to today. You will be fine and will make it. Please do not beat yourself up.. No need for that. You came to a great realization, and that is the KEY...

Camaswa... Congratulations for seeing the 160's.Happy for you.

Darcy & Big Hog.. Congrats on loss.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day and a great weight loss.

Patzi

I survived another Christmas party yesterday (will they ever end??) I didn't eat OP...and someone even brought some roasted venison so I got to have something different but OP. Ahhhh! Feels good. Scale stayed @ 169.8...am so afraid I'll see the 170's again. Got rid of a whole tote of clothes at consignment yesterday...that way I don't have them to fall back on and hopefully I'll have a few dollars to be able to buy clothes when I get down to the next size.

weigh in and another pound lost!!! woo hoo! might even reach the 160's before Christmas :-) Stayed ON PLAN for 2 days and no protein bars! ((i'm usually OP but will maybe add a couple things that aren't on plan) amazing that if i stay on plan that the pounds drop off...Yippee Yay!! yum, this boiled egg and cheese toast sure is good!

Hi Ladies! I posted this in the maintainer's thread, but wanted to get your help/opinions, too:

I need some help in the creativity department. I want to start a food/recipe blog, but I can't come up with a title that isn't weird, lame, trite, or already being used.

I have had so many friends, family, and new acquaintances ask me how I lost the weight... and now they're all asking me how I'm keeping it off, what I'm eating, etc. I had 2 friends tell me (after I posted the spaghetti squash recipe on facebook with my changes) that I should start a food/recipe/healthy eating blog. I think I want to do it.

I may eventually incorporate exercise information into it, too (more like, "what am I doing now for exercise" updates), but it's going to start just being a food blog. Some of the food ideas/recipes I put up will be my own creations, but many will come from other food blogs I have followed or recipes I have found and adjusted, so I would link to the originals and then include my adjustments (usually to make it healthier or yummier).

Help! Several of my friends suggested "Natalie's Nibbles" (my name is Natalie) but I hate that. It's cutesy, and I am most definitely not a cutesy or girlie person.

Here are a few that I'm considering (I don't like them all, but I'm keeping them on the list of possibilities since they aren't already being used by someone else):

Seven Parts Full ---Based on Chinese dietary adage: eat only until you are '7 parts full' (70 percent full).
My Own Taste -- with this quote as the tagline: When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste. ~Laiko Bahrs
Cooking Skinny
Delicious Flavor
A Bite to Eat
Grab a Bite
On a Silver Platter
Healthier Taste
Gastronomical Rex
Taste Tester
Taste Test
Teacherlady's Test Kitchen


ETA: Gastronomical Rex was my husband's suggestion. I like it and think it;s kind of funny, but I'm not sure if it's too much of a mouthful or if it makes it sound like I'm eating dinosaurs rather than that I'm a "Cuisine King," LOL.

[QUOTE=teacherlady79;4138888]Hi Ladies! I posted this in the maintainer's thread, but wanted to get your help/opinions, too:

I need some help in the creativity department. I want to start a food/recipe blog, but I can't come up with a title that isn't weird, lame, trite, or already being used.


Great idea!! Cooking Skinny by Teacherlady (successful MRC loser)

include MRC somewhere because when people do a search of MRC, they will be able to find your very helpful suggestions and you know we all need help !! :-) to stay on plan. the variety of food and meals that is suggested on this forum is the ONLY reason i've been successful. make sure you let us all know what you decide on!

Teacherlady-I think it sounds like a great idea. i like the first (7 parts full) and the last one (teacherlady's test kitchen)...it's hard to come up with a good blog name. The content is really most important, but you also feel like you want to start with something good that encompases what the blog is about...Look forward to reading it no matter what you name it

Natalie..
This idea of a blog is a wonderful idea... So glad to hear this .

Patzi

I have a great sucess story for everyone... A friend of mine just made maintenance with 4 pounds under goal, She was 210 pounds when she started and today she is 140, making it a 70 pound loss... There is something more to tell that makes the weight loss special.. She is off all diabetes medication and off high blood pressure medication.. I think this is just a spectacular accomplishment. Just had to share this. She is so excited about buying her skinny outfit for New Years Eve. She really worked this program and stayed OP the complete time, and I am so happy for her that she made it. A new person, indeed.
Patzi

Hey BigDog, I think your post is actually proving what Patzi is saying! I really need to take that to heart. Yay on your pound!

Hi everyone
I don't post much, but just wanted to say how helpful reading everyone's posts is to me. I agree that this time of year is hard, but as so many people have pointed out, it's way better to be on track this time of year than gaining weight to worry about later. I work in a school and have been given quite a few mugs filled with chocolates and baked goods. I haven't touched any of it, in part thanks to reading this thread!
As we said in the '70s, keep on truckin'!
Chickadee